Belt and buckle structure



M y 1962 J. MlHALYl 3,031,682

BELT AND BUCKLE STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 7, 1959 JOSEPH M/HA L Y/ INVENTOR.

AGE/VT art fire 3,031,632 Patented May 1, 1982 3,031,682 BELT AND BUCKLE STRUCTURE Joseph Mihalyi, 76 Van Voorhis Drive, Rochester, N.Y. Filed Dec. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 857,669 2 Claims. (Cl. 2=--322) The present invention relates to a belt structure and to a combination of a novel belt structure with a buckle of the type having spaced horizontal and vertical bars with a tongue pivotally mounted on one of the vertical bars.

A buckle having spaced horizontal and vertical bars and a tongue pivotally connected to one of the vertical bars is usually secured to a belt by a loop formed at one end of the belt, the loop being provided with an aperture at the crest of the loop through which the tongue extends and which permits the tongue to be moved freely about the bar on which it is pivotally mounted. As is well known, the other end of the belt is provided with spaced openings into any one of which the tongue is inserted to hold the free end in captive relation when it is passed under the other vertical bar. The opposed forces exerted on the ends of the belt serve to retain the tongue in the selected opening. Due to these forces, it is necessary to use both hands in releasing the tongue because the tongue tends to fall or lay against the other vertical bar. As a result, it is practically impossible to fully release the belt by merely moving the captive end of the belt away from the tongue.

In the present invention, the aperture in the belt through which the tongue extends is displaced from the crest of the loop and with respect to the pivotal axis of the tongue so that as soon as the end of the belt beyond the opening engaged by the tongue is pulled and folded back on itself, the position of the aperture causes the tongue to be moved through approximately 180 to a position overlying the end of the belt secured to the buckle. With the tongue in this position, the free end of the belt can be withdrawn from the buckle with no possibility of the tongue engaging one of the openings as it is withdrawn.

This is accomplished by arranging the elongated aper ture in a longitudinal offset relation to the fastening means which forms the buckle-securing loop on one end of the belt. In this way the aperture is also displaced with respect to the pivotal axis of the tongue and the edge of the aperture toward the crest of the loop engages the tongue at a point beyond the pivotal axis thereof so that in :1 released position the tongue is always maintained in a position overlying the secured end of the belt. When the free end of the belt is passed under the vertical bar and the tongue is moved into engagement with one of the openings in the free end, the tongue moves the aperture into a position over the pivotal axis by depressing the loop. On release of the free end of the belt, the resiliency of the loop and the relationship of the aperture to the tongue causes the tongue to be moved to its position overlying the fastening means.

The primary object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a belt and buckle structure which is readily capable of being released with one hand.

Another object of the invention is to provide an onset relationship between the aperture in the secured end of the belt and the tongue extending therethrough for normally retaining the tongue in a position overlying the secured end of the belt.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an aperture in the secured end of a belt for the tongue of a buckle, the aperture being arranged in such a position with respect to the buckle-securing loop that it is always in engagement with the tongue and when the free end of the belt is held captive by the tongue, the loop is deformed due to engagement of the aperture by the tongue, and when the free end is moved away from the tongue, the return of the loop to its normal form causes the tongue to be moved by the edge of the aperture away from the free end of the belt.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art by the description of an embodiment of the invention which follows.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a buckle and belt and showing the relation of the aperture to the buckle tongue and the securing loop in its normal position upon release thereof from the free end of the belt;

FIG. 2 is a side view, partially in section, of a buckle and belt showing the depression of the securing loop and the relation of the aperture to the pivotal axis of the buckle tongue when the free end of the belt is held in a captive position by the tongue;

FIG. 3 is a side view, partially in section, of the buckle and belt shown in FIG. 2 and shows the relation of the aperture to the pivotal axis of the tongue and the loop when the free end is moved to a release position; and

FiG. 4 is a side view, partially in section, of a buckle and belt showing the relation of the aperture to the pivotal axis of the tongue as in the prior art.

With reference to FIG. 1, buckle 10 comprises spaced vertical bars 11 and 12, spaced horizontal bars 13 and 14 and a tongue 15 which is pivotally mounted with respect to bar 11 by the formed over end 16 which encircles bar 11 in a well known manner. The length of tongue 15 is such that the end 17 overlies the bar 12. It is evident that the shape and cross section of bars 11, 12, i3 and 14 can and do vary with different types or styles of buckles. However, the function in each instance is the same; namely, providing a portion to which one end of a belt is secured and retaining the other end of the elt in captive relation thereto by means of tongue 15.

Belt 20 can be of any material, such as leather, plastic, reinforced cloth, etc., which has a certain amount of rigidity or stiffness and resiliency for the purpose described hereinafter. One end 21 of belt 29 is provided with spaced fastening means, which in the disclosed embodiment comprises two female snap fasteners 22 arranged in spaced relation longitudinally of the belt 20 and two male snap fasteners 23 also arranged in spaced relation longitudinally of belt 2% and spaced from the female fasteners. it is to be understood that a single male and female fastener can be used, that two or more snap fasteners can be used spaced either longitudinally or transversely of belt Zil, or that a fastening means other than the one disclosed can be used, the primary requisite being that when the fasteners are joined a loop 24 is then formed.

Belt 2% is provided with an aperture 25 which is lo cated or arranged between the male and female fasteners and in closer proximity to the male fasteners. Aperture 25 can be elongated in the longitudinal direction of the belt, as shown in FIG. 1, or can be round or square. The end 30 of belt 20 is also provided with centrally arranged openings 31 which are spaced along the belt in a well-known manner to permit varying the encircling dimension of the belt.

In the prior art, as shown in FIG. 4, aperture 25 is arranged midway of the fastening means so that when end 21 is passed around bar 11 with tongue 15 extending through the aperture and the fasteners 22, 23 are joined to form loop 24', aperture 25' is sufficiently long so as to permit the formed end 16 to extend therethrough as well as tongue 15. Since aperture 25 then provides no engagement with tongue 15, said tongue can be moved freely about bar 11 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. in the present invention, aperture 25 is preferably elongated, as shown in FIG. 1, and is arranged in closer proximity to the male fasteners 23 so that it lies in the top plane or portion of loop 24, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, rather than at the crest of the loop 24 as in the prior art, see FIG. 4. As a result, the

edge of aperture 25 toward the loop engages tongue above the formed end 16 to normally hold said tongue in a position overlying the fastening means, as shown in FIG. 3. When end 30 of belt is passed under bar 12 for engagement by tongue 15, tongue 15 is moved toward bar 12 and into engagement with one of openings 31, end 34) being turned backward on itself, as shown in FIG. 3, to receive tongue 15 in the normal manner. As tongue is moved toward bar 12, the portion thereof above the formed end 16 is still in engagement with the edge of aperture 25 and turns the loop 24 downwardly, as shown in FIG. 2, the engaging edge of aperture 25 remaining in engagement with tongue 15. When end is held by tongue 15 in captive relation, the various parts assume the relation shown in FIG. 2, end 30 being passed over loop 24 and bar 11 and through an auxiliary loop 32 which can be held between fastening means 22 and 23, as shown in FIGS. 13, or secured to end 21 of belt 20 beyond the fastening means in any manner to hold the end 30 in overlying relationship to end 21 as is customary and well known.

When end 30 is to be released from buckle 10, end 30 is withdrawn from under loop 32 and folded back on itself and at the same time a slight pull is exerted thereon to move the opening 31 engaged by tongue 15 slightly beyond bar 12. With the end 3i in this position, the resiliency of the belt material causes the deformed loop 24 to seek its original position and, because the edge of aperture 25 is always in engagement with tongue 15, tongue 15 is moved out of the opening 31 and into its normal position in which it overlies fastening means 22 and 23, as shown in FIG. 3, as loop 24 returns or seeks its original position. The location of aperture '25 with respect to tongue 15 therefore eliminates the necessity for the wearer to use one hand for holding end 30 in a releasing position and the other hand to release tongue 15 from the engaged opening 31. In other words, the relationship of aperture 25 to tongue 15 is such that one hand can be used to release end 36 without any possibility of tongue 15 falling or lying against end 30 to enter another opening 31 upon release of end 30 since loop 24 automatically returns tongue 15 to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The above-described structure lends itself very readily to other applications than apparel belts, such as safety belts for automobiles, since the onehand release feature now possible with this type of belt and, buckle structure was not heretofore possible due to the ever present possibility of tongue 15 re-entering one of openin s 31.

While the above described embodiment of the invention has been disclosed with respect to a single tongue buckle, it will be evident that multiple tongue buckles can be utilized in the same manner with a single displaced aperture 25 or with a number of apertures corresponding to the number of tongues. It will therefore be evident to those skilled in the art that many modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States and what I claim is:

1. in combination with a buckle having spaced horizontal bars, spaced vertical bars and a tongue freely mounted with respect to the midpoint of one of said vertical bars, of a belt having one end folded back and secured to said belt to form a loop for receiving said one vertical bar, the outer portion of said loop being provided with an aperture elongated in the longitudinal direction of said belt and arranged centrally of the edges of said belt between the crest of said loop and the point at which said one end is secured and through which the tongue of said buckle extends, the edge of said aperture adjacent said loop continuously engaging said tongue at a point beyond the pivotal axis thereof for normally holding said tongue in a position overlying the secured end of said belt, said tongue upon movement to an engaging position with respect to one of the openings in the other end of said belt for holding said other end in captive relation moving said loop from its normal position to a depressed position, and said edge of said aperture being adapted to move said tongue from said engaging position to said normal position overlying said secured end with movement of said loop from said depressed position to said normal position upon movement of the other end of said belt to a position for releasing said tongue.

2. As an article of manufacture, a belt having a first fastening means adjacent one end thereof and a seco'nd fastening means for engaging said first fastening means and spaced therefrom toward the other end of said belt by a distance sufiicient to provide a loop at said one end of said belt for retaining a buckle when said fastening means are joined, said belt being provided with a longitudinally elongated aperture for receiving the tongue of said buckle, said aperture being arranged centrally of the edges of said belt and between said fastening means in close proximity to said second fastening means and being located in the portion of said belt between said second fastening means and the crest of the loop formed when said fastening means are joined, whereby the edge of said aperture adjacent said second fastening means engages and holds said tongue in a position overlying said fastening means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 600,331 Lanz Mar. 8, 1898 1,394,552 Hoeschen Oct. 25, 1921 2,269,329 Wirth Ian. 6, 1942 2,718,043 Wallace Sept. 20, 1955 

